Eleanor S. Stevens

Eleanor Stevens, 86, passed away September 13, 2018 in Fort Collins, Colorado. Eleanor was born October 4, 1931 in Pittsburgh, PA to Michael J. and Anna (Gojak) Sestrick. She was raised in the Pittsburgh area and graduated from Turtle Creek High School. After graduation, she took classes at the University of Pittsburgh and during this time met the love of her life, Donald Stevens, at a church dance. In 1953, in the Heinz Memorial Chapel on the University of Pittsburgh campus, Eleanor and Don married. They continued to live in Pittsburgh for several years and then moved to Somerset, NJ, then to Memphis, TN and later to Downer Grove, IL. Upon retirement, they split their time between Sun City West, AZ and Vail, CO where they enjoyed skiing in the winter and golfing and hiking in the summer. Mom loved to travel and her and my dad traveled around the world visiting every continent except Antarctica. Upon the arrival of grandkids, Eleanor and Don moved to Loveland, CO to be closer and spend more time with their children and grandchildren.

First and foremost, Mom was a wife, mother, and homemaker. She hauled us kids around town to after- school activities and sports, helped us with our homework, cooked a hot meal for us, including baking a homemade dessert, practically every night, and tucked us in at the end of each day. Her pies were legendary and although many of us have continued the tradition of pie baking, with lessons from her, none of us have perfected a pie crust the way she did. When the last of her children was in middle school, Mom went back to work first as Welcome Wagon lady, then as a bookkeeper turned executive assistant at Datsun (Nissan) Motor Company and then finishing her career as a customer service representative at Rexnord Industries. After retirement, Mom survived breast cancer (twice) and battled multiple myeloma until the end. Through it all, Mom was always there for us, particularly my sister who faced special challenges in life. She fought hard to provide the best life possible for her and her love and strength carried all of us through good times and bad.

Mom is preceded in death by her husband Don of over 60 years, her parents Michael and Anna, brother Walter, other family members, pets Chipper, Boots, Rufus, Brandy, Madison and Maggie, and many friends and acquaintances. I am sure there is a special place in heaven for her and she will be greeted with open arms (and paws and beaks) by all that have loved her.

She is survived by: her daughters, Jennifer and Patty; son, John (Kim); grandchildren, Andrew, Amanda and Noah; brother, Robert (Peg) and their children and grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am Friday October 5, 2018 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Loveland, CO. A lunch reception will follow.

Contributions in Eleanor’s honor can be made to the Special Olympics, Association of Retarded Citizens (ARC) or Trinity Lutheran Church in Loveland.